Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-12-07
INTERSTATE TRAFFIC.
First Annual Report Of the New
Commission. +
THE LAW WORKING SATISFACTORILY.
The Railways and the Public Alike Bene-
dted-Many Abuses Corrected-Long
and Short Hauls - Competi- 81
u0n-Recomme ntati0ns.
IT'S FIRST REPORT.

W0U snort HAOlS - COI0peC1-
tion-Recommendatio
IT'S FIRST REPORT.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3-The first annual 70
port of the Interstate Commerce Commission
has been laid before the Secretary Of the In
terror. Exclusive of tabular appendices, which
are not yet ready, it fills forty three printed
pages. The commission devotes q dozen pages
to q sketch Of the country's transportation ia
cilities, from the pack-horse and canoe Of the
early days to the mammoth institutions OF the
present, tracing back the grievances and
abuses VIII CHI led to the passage Of the Inter
State act.
Under the heading, 1.-THE Carriers Subject to
Its Jurisdiction" the commission says that
some Of the railroad practices which the act
undertakes to bring to On end have been COM
mon among carriers by water also, and II
wrong in themselves might justly be forbidden
In their case as we'll It does not, however, in
tend to intimate an opinion that these things
are common.
The commission is OF opinion that the ex-
press business done by the railroad companies
themselves is within the act. Whether the ex-
press companies which are independent of the
railroads are within the contemplation OF the
act is more doubtful. In regard to sleepingcar
companies, livestock car companies and oil COM
panies which transport in tank cars, the COM
temptation to discriminate as the railroads are
and the fact is laid before Congress for such
action as 1t may choose to take in the premises.
The long and short haul clause is exhaust
lively discussed, together with the reasons of
the commission for temporarily suspending the
provisions in certain sections and they say, in
part:
1.-THE considerations which were influential
in determining when these temporary orders
should be granted were not more the relief Of
the carriers from danger OF loss than the pre-
ventation of threatened disturbance OF business
interests in certain localities, which by its re-
f1ex action seemed liable to embarrass serious
~ the entire country"
Its final conclusion, as announced in the
Louisville & Nashville case, and the general
acceptance that it met with, are recited, and
the report adds:
1.-THE commission takes pleasure now In be-
ing able to report that in large sections OF the
country obedience to the general rule of the
fourth section is without important excep-
tion."
The commission, after quoting that part Of
the twelfth section which empowers it to lin
Quire into the business of all common carriers"
says:
''This is very important provision and the
commission will no doubt have frequent occa-
sian to take action under it. It will not hest
tate to do so in any case in which a mischief of
which is not likely to be brought to its atten-
ton on complaint OF private prosecutor.
complaints OF unjust dissemination and the
giving of undue and unreasonable preferences
by the open rates are still frequent, and it is
not to be denied that in the existing tariffs
there are many rates which, as compared with
Others made by the same carriers seem to be
unfair and oppressive. But even as regards this
species of injustice, the good effects OF the law
are manifest"
Being now compelled to justify their rates
when called on, the commission finds, makes
managers more cautious about doing injustice.
The commission urges the desirability of
IN form freight classification throughout the
country, but doubts the ability to reach the
matter by legislation, while without it there is
gradual approach to uniformity effected by
the railroads themselves Any commission ap-
pointed by the Government to make a uniform
freight classification would have to go at it in
much the same way. The commission says:
1.-THE pooling OF freights and OF railroad earn
ings, SO far as the commission has knowledge
or information on the subject, came to an end
when the act took effect. But as pooling was
only one OF several purposes had in view in
forming railroad associations, the leading asso-
Citations have not been dissolved, but have been
continued in existence for other objects.
Among these objects are the making of regula-
tions for uninterrupted and harmonious rail-
within the territory embraced by their work
1ngs"
In it's chapter upon Reasonable Charges"
the commission says:
1.-THE public interest is best served when the
rates are SO apportioned as to encourage the
largest practicable change OF products between
different sections of our country and with for
eign countries, and this can only be done by
making value an important consideration, and
by placing upon the higher classes Of freight
some larger share of the burden than, If a
relative equal apportionment of service alone
were considered, would fall upon those Of less
value.''
This chapter is concluded with the following
under the sub-heading ''Competition:''
"A study Of the act to regulate commerce
has satisfied the members OF the commission
that it was intended in its passage to preserve
for the people the benefits Of the competition
as between the several transportation lines Of
the country. II that shall be done the towns
which have great natural advantages, or ad-
vantages acquired by large expenditures of
money in establishing new thoroughfares Of
commerce, will have cheaper rates than can
ordinarily be obtained by towns less favorably
situated.
1T might possibly be within the competency
oflegislative power to prescribe for the several
Interstate railroads equal mileage rates for
the whole country; but this, II enforced, would
rates, and to very large extent deprive the
great business centers Of the country of their
several natural advantages, and also OF the
benefit OF expenditures made by them in Gre
ating for themselves new channels OF trade It
would, in fact, work a revolution in the bust
ness of the country, which, though it might be
greatly beneficial in some directions, would
be fearfully destructive in others. Congress
has not by the existing legislation undertaken
to inaugurate such revolution.
1.-THE competition by water is the 1ostimpor-
tant factor in forcing rates to a low level at the
points where the Ines of land and water trans
portation tntersect- The experience of the
country has demonstrated that the artificial
waterways can not be successful competitors
with the railroads on equal terms. The rail-
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois of nearly all their
importance, and the Erie canal is only main
tanned as great channel of trade by the liber-
atty OF the State of New York in making its